I can't recover my authenticator after changing my phone

Restore the backup from Authenticator’s recovery option before adding or signing in to accounts on the new phone, using the same recovery account and the same device platform as the old phone.

Restore on the new phone

Backups cannot be transferred between platforms: an iPhone backup restores only to another iPhone, and an Android backup only to another Android device.^1^

Android to Android

1. Open Authenticator on the new phone.
2. Before signing in normally, select Restore from backup or Begin recovery.
3. Sign in with the same personal Microsoft account selected as the recovery account on the old phone.
4. Wait for the account list to appear.
5. For any account marked Action required, open it, select the sign-in/recovery option, and complete verification.^2^

If the recovery option is missing because accounts were already added, sign out of or remove those accounts first, then reopen Authenticator and choose recovery. Removing accounts from the new phone may discard anything newly configured there.

iPhone to iPhone

Because your old phone is still available, leave Authenticator installed on it while checking these items:

1. On the old iPhone, enable iCloud Drive, iCloud Keychain, and iCloud Backup.
2. In the iCloud Saved to iCloud list, locate Authenticator and turn it on.
3. Update Authenticator to version 6.8.33 or later.
4. Open Authenticator once so the backup can update.
5. On the new iPhone, uninstall and reinstall Authenticator. The backup should then appear.^3^
6. For each restored account showing Sign in to restore your account, tap Sign in, enter the password, and complete the requested email or phone verification.^2^

What will and will not restore

The result depends on the account type:^1^

• Third-party accounts using 30-second codes, such as Google or Amazon: their codes should become available after recovery.
• Personal Microsoft accounts using only verification codes: the codes should restore.
• Passwordless Microsoft accounts: only the account name is restored; sign-in is required again.
• Work or school accounts: only the account name is restored; each account must be signed in or registered again.

If a work or school account cannot be reactivated

Try Sign in another way with another method already registered to the account. If none is available, contact the organization’s IT administrator and request that they reset the old MFA method and require Authenticator registration again. For guest accounts in several organizations, each organization may need to reset its own registration.^4^

Keep the old phone operational until every restored account works on the new one. After testing sign-in and notifications, remove the old phone from each account’s security information.

References

1. Back up account credentials in Microsoft Authenticator
2. iOS
3. Microsoft Authenticator FAQs | Microsoft Support
4. I change my phone and have issues with auhtenticator - Microsoft Q&A